Filipino woman charged over WA man's death

The ex-partner of an Australian man found dead in the Philippines says she's devastated by the news.Source: AAP

A FILIPINO woman has reportedly been charged with the murder of a Western Australian man who was found dead in a hotel room in the city of Lapu-Lapu at the weekend.

Perth man Rodney "Kim" Chambers, 58, was less than a week into a three-week holiday when his body was discovered in the tourist province of Cebu on Saturday.

Hours after his ex-partner Bridget Shewring spoke of her shock and the family's desire for answers, the ABC reported that authorities had confirmed a 31-year-old woman had been charged with Mr Chambers' murder.

It is understood Mr Chambers had brought the woman to his accommodation, and they may have argued over money before his death.

Earlier Ms Shewring, the daughter of murdered brothel madam Shirley Finn, told Fairfax radio she heard about his death via Facebook, where a local friend of the father-of-three had posted a message for loved ones to get in touch.

When she called the phone number, she was told a woman had been arrested over Mr Chambers' death.

"He's in a funeral parlour and she is in custody," Ms Shewring was told.

"I think (the friend) was trying to tell me that (Mr Chambers) was kicked to death or something like that - I couldn't understand him properly," she said.

Ms Shewring, who was in a relationship with Mr Chambers for about 30 years, said she assumed the woman was a local and did not believe her ex had been in a relationship.

She also believed he was not in any trouble.

The last time she spoke with him, he sounded fine, she said.

"Then I heard from his brother through an email that some woman had stolen his phone so he couldn't contact anyone, he could only do it by email, and that's the last anyone heard of him," Ms Shewring said.

She said it was his third visit to the Philippines.

Ms Shewring said she was devastated by the news, which came on top of the death of their daughter Angela in a car accident and the mystery of her mother's murder in 1975, which she still hoped would be solved.

"I can't take any more of this pain," she said.

"And we're not getting any answers anywhere."

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it is providing consular assistance to the family, which is considering having Mr Chambers cremated and repatriated to Perth.

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